Automatic control device for illuminating apparatus.



C. G. LINDBLOM.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR ILLUMINATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1914.

1,155,496. Patented 001;.5, 1915.

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CARL GUSTAF LINIDBLOM, OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOE TO AKTIEBOLAGETLUX,

0F STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR ILLUMINATING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 6, 1914 To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, CARL GUSTAF LIND- BLOM, a subject of the King of Sweden,residing at Lilla Essengen, Stockholm, Sweden, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Automatic ControlDevices for IlluminatingApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has for its object to provide means foralternately lighting and extinguishing illuminating apparatus under theinfluence of reduced or increased supply of light and thus of heat. Saidmeans consist substantially of a thermo-electric pile arranged within atransparent but to some extent heat-insulating casing and connected,either directly or through a relay, to a lighting and extinguishingapparatus, for instance a gas valve or an electric switch.

Two forms of the invention are illus trated in the accompanying drawingin vertical section in Figures 1 and'2.

The thermoelectric p le a in both cases is of cylindrical shape and hasa c0mparatively great number of circular rows of ele-' ments arrangedabove each other, preferably also a rather great number in each circularrow. It is surrounded by a casing Z) which is also cylindrical andpreferably of glass. In Fig. 1 a heat-storing body 7' is arranged in thecentral cavity of the pile so as to be heat-insulated therefrom and notin direct communication with open air. The whole construction isarranged on a base o inclosing the lighting and extinguishing deviceproper. In Fig. 1 the last-mentioned device, which though is onlydiagrammatically illustrated, consists of an electromagnet g and anarmature (Z actuated thereby and also serving as valve member foralternately closing and opening the mouth 72 of a gas conduit f leadingto a burner. Part of the weight of the armature may be compensated by aspring 2' for facilitating its lifting by the magnet. The gas entersthrough a port c.

This apparatus operates in the following manner. As soon'as thethermo-pile is subj ected to radiation of light or heat from outside,for instance at sunrise if it is placed freely out-of-doors, thetemperature of its external contact points is raised while the innerones are kept at a lower temperature, partly by the body j, partly byrising air currents (see the arrows). The glass cas- Specification ofLetters Patent.

' Patented oer. 5, 1915.

Serial No. 843,578.

ing 6 prevents greater losses of heat in the caseof wind, etc. Thethermo-pile then produces an electric current which causes theelectromagnet g to attract its armature (Z, said armature then closingthe mouth 71. and thus cutting off the supply of gas to the burner so asto extinguish the flame thereof. The armature (Z in Fig. l is supposedto be polarized for the reason of preventing its dropping whichotherwise may occur when the difierence of temperature between the innerand outer contact points of the thermo-pile are by and by equalized andthe current thus weakened. hen the supply of heat from outside ceases,for instance at sunset, in this form a difference of temperature arisesin-the opposite direction, the heat storing body j keeping the innercontact points at a comparatively high temperature while the outer onesare cooled. The current then is reversed and causes the droppingof thearmature cl so that the gas supply to the burner is again opened,lighting then being possible to effect by means of a pilot flame or inother ways. In Fig. 2 the heat storing body is omitted and the furthermodification is made that the thermo currents do not act upon thecontrolling device directly but by means of a relay. These twomodifications, however, are of course quite independent of each other,so that a relay can be used together with the heat storing body and thelatter may be omitted in di rectly acting devices according to Fig. 1.The current from the thermo-pile in Fig. 2 flows through a relay coil isactuating a light, non-polarized armature Z which then closes a currentfrom a battery m through a main coil n actuating a polarized armature 0,which here is combined with a toggle-joint lever for facilitating aninstantaneous reversing. action. lVhen the current of the thermo-pileceases by the heat supply to its outer contact points ceasing, thearmature Z is dropped and a current thereby sent through the coil 'n inthe opposite direction to the previous one, whereby the armature 0 isdropped and the conduit 7", which has been closed by said armature, isopened.

Having now particularly described the nature of my invention and themanner of its operation, What I claim is:

1. A device for lighting and extinguishing illuminating apparatuscomprising an electric thermo-pile, one group of like-poled latingcasing surrounding said thermo-pile,

' a conductor for a light producing medium, 7 and means actuated by thecurrent from Silld 7 pile for controlling the passage of the lightproducing medium through said conductor.

2. A device for lighting and extinguishing illuminating apparatuscomprising an electric thermo-pile, one group of like-poled contactpoints of which is exposed to the action of day-light While the othergroup is exposedto a current of air, a transparent heat. insulatingcasing surrounding said thermo-pile so as to protect the first-namedgroup of contact points against air currents, a conductor for a lightproducing medium, and means actuated by the electric current from thethermo-pile for controlling the passage of the light producing mediumthrough said, conductor. a

3. A device for lighting and extinguishing illuminating apparatuscomprising an electric thermo-pile, one group of like-poled contactpoints of which is exposed to the action of day-light, a heat storingbody arrangedadjacent to the other group of likepoled contact points, atransparent heat insulating casing surrounding said thermopile, aconductor for a light producing medium, and means actuated by theelectric current from said pile for controlling the passage of the lightproducing medium through said conductor 7 r V 4. A device forlighting-and extinguishing illuminating apparatus comprising an electricthermopile, one group of like-poled contact points of which is 'exposedto the action of day-light, a transparent heat insulating casingsurrounding said thermo-pile, a conductor for a light producing medium,and a relay actuated by the current, from said thermo-pile, said relaycontrolling the latinglc'asing surrounding said thermo-pile,

a conductor for a light producing medium,

an electrosmagnet actuated by? the current from said-thermo-pile, and apolarized armature operated by said electro-magnetand acting to controlthe passage ofthe light producing medium through said conducton Intestimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses;

CARL; GUSTAF Witnesses: -BIRGER NORDFELD'I, V

A. SIMON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthei Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). 0.?

LINDBLOM.

